Spring suspension



A. W. GATTIE.

SPRING SUSPENSION. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1922.

1 ,426, 1 78, Patented Aug. 15, 1922 3 SHEETS--SHEET Wei/1.635 9 flak/Zi of! red Ira/2015i ame I v I A. W. GATTIE.

SPRING SUSPENSION. APPLICAHON FILED FEB. 3. 1922.

1,426,178, Patented Aug. 15, 19 22.

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Wit/219$ $629 1 [12062221 A. W. GATTIE.

SPRING SUSPENSION.

APPLICAIION FILED FEB. 3, 1922.

1 ,426, 1 78, Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wneses 45106111 01:

ALFRED WARWICK GATTIQE, on Lonnon, ENGLAND.

SPRING svsrnns'ronf To all 'w/zom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED VVARwioK GATTIE, a subject'of the King of Great Britain, residing in London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improve .ment in Spring Suspension, of which the 'following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to spring suspensions for motor and other :vehiclesand it has for'its object to provide a suspension in which a. maximum of resiliency is secured withv a minimum of stress upon the spring orsprings as the case may be; I

Various forms of spring suspensions and shock absorbing devices have been proposed in. which toggle or'othe'r levers have been employed the said toggle. or other levers being so arranged, however, that the leverage exerted by the toggle or other levers upon the spring is directly proportional to theweight they are called upon to sup- ..port. In other words as the weight increases the leverage of the levers increase with a proportionately increased effort imposed upon the spring.

As primarily distinguished from the .foregoing according tov this invention the sus pension is so constructed and arranged that with every increase or, decrease in the load carried there is automatically caused thereby a decrease or increase in-the leverageexercising a compressive actionon the spring.

That is to say when the load is atits mini mum the leverage-exercised is at its maxi-.

mum and with every increase of load this leverage is diminished untilat the maximumfload theleveragehas disappeared or become a minus quantity. This effect is antomatically produced by the movement of the fulcra of the levers caused by the varying weight ofthe load.

In order that the invention-may be the better understood drawings are appended in whichz- 1 Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of the invention partly in section,-

- l i Fig. 2 is an endflview', p

" Fig. 3 is a part sectional plan,

- -Fig.' 4: isxa sectionalview, showingmore clearly certainfdetails of 'the arrangement shownin Figs. 1,2 and 3,

Fig. '5 is a side view partlyin section 'showing a further modification,

Fig. 6, is an end view of Fig. 5,

Fig.7 is a sectional plan view on line Application filed February 3, 922; Serial No. 533,177.

Specification of Letters Patent. P- tgnt d iAug 15 of Fig.- 5, looking in direction o'fthe arrow. F 1g. 8 1s a SlClG view partly" in section showing a further modification,

Fig. 9 v s a sectlonal plan view on line'BB :of' Fig. 8, looking indirection of the arrow.

' Fig.10 is an end view'partly'in section, I Fig. 11 is a view showing more clearly a detail of construction. 1 Referring to the accompanying drawings, in lgS. 1 to 4;, 1. indicates the axle ofthe vehicle. f2 indicates an outer case formed in two parts bolted or secured together by means oflugs 3 upon the exterior of the case and through'which lugs pass bolts i. The

.case is secured to the frame ofthe vehicle indicated by A. by means of'lugs 5'tlirough whichlugs bolts are passed securing said case to said frame. Pivotally mountedfat 6,

one at each end of case 2?, are arms such as y 7 which arms at the lower 'ends'areconnected by ball and socket connections, "indi cated generally'b'y' 8, to circularplates such as 9 and which plates have upon their inner faces I circular projections designed: to engage'thecentres' of the spiral springs 10,

10?. -The springs'lo; 10 at the inner ends engage suitable projections formed'upon the ends of a bridge'piece. or plate'ill" perforated at 12 for the passage of therod or plunger 13. Secured to the plunger 13 is a collar 14 from which project at diametrically opposite points bifurcated arms or extensions such as 15 in the outer ends of which are pivotally mounted links' such "as 16 which at their outer ends are bifurcated to permit the passageof the arms 7 Pass ing throughthe outer ends'of the links-"16 .are pins 'upon which are mounted rollers such as 17 which'rollers contact with the outer-edges of the links 16, other rollers 17 upon'the pins contact with the. inclined sur- 1 case 2 and the rod 18, secured. to the top of sai'd case,'and which rod engages. the bore I of plunger 13. By means of the construction justdescribedit results that a, blow rewards over two pairs of opposing inclined planes, on each of which a gradually increased pressure 1s lnduced while one of the inclined planes yields in the required degree I and compresses, from its two ends, a spiral or other spring lying in a horizontal plane.

lt will be seen that the blow received is split into twohalves and converted into two balanced tensile strains the rollers being draw inwards over the surfaces of the inclined planes. The blow is thus converted into a rolling action;

In the arrangement just described the case is carried by the frame of the vehicle the plunger being connected to the axle, It is of great importance that the plunger shall be subjected as little as possible to side strain or any strain in the horizontal plane, and in order to secure this the following scheme of attachment is suggested.

The bottom end of the plunger, Figs. 1 to 3, is fitted with a foot or plinth 1, the undersurtace of this foot or plinth is fiat and polished-and is lubricated through a gland, not shown, from the interior of the plunger. This foot. or plinth-y rests upon a hemisphere of suitable metal 19 the'flat side of the hemisphere being upwards. The hemisphere rests in a lubricated basin 3' which is fixed to the top side of the axle.

It will be seen that the hemisphere 19 is free to move in any direction inside the basin and in any horizontal direction in relation to the foot of the plunger. This latter horizontal movement is limited in the following way. Axle guides 20 are at 'tached to the frame A of the car. These axle guides act as torque rods and allow a free vertical movement to theaxle. The

axle guides are composed of steel strips hinged to the frame A of thelorry and said strips pass through slots cut in a suitable fixture to the axles as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 1

In the figures just referred to a bracket 21 is mounted in any suitable manner upon the axle, for example by'means of the annularfbody or sleeve 21 having a flange 21". ,1 :The bracket 21 is bolted to flange '21 having depending members 21 provided bracket, serve tohold the strips upon their outer faces with recesses 220i greater width. than the guides for the strips 20 01 rectangular cross-sectional outline. Cover plates 23 bolted to the front of the 20 slidably Wltlllll the recesses 22 and at the same'time prevent their lateral displacement, The

bracket 21 supports the hemisphere 19 upon which the plunger 13 bears as already described, Bolted to the side frame of the vehicleare plates 21 pivotally connected to the upper ends of the rods 20.

When required additional torque rods may be used to keep the axle in position and resist all incidental strains. /Vhilst, as just above described, two springs 10, 1 arranged in axial alignment, are employed a single spring may be sub s'tituted for said springs. A. form of construction having a single spring is employed in the arrangement shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. In this case a substantially similar arrangement of parts is employed the plunger or rod, indicated by 13, however, being bifurcated and its components slidably housed in recesses or channels 26*, 26

formed in the sides of the lower portion of the case 2. Secured between the upper ends of the side members of the plunger is a block 26 slidably fitted between the outer surfaces of the cheeks of the channels 26 26 The block is slotted and 'pivotally mounted in said slots are the ends of links 27, 28, 29, 30the outerends of which carry rollers 81, 32, running upon inclined surfaces in the manner already described in connection with Figs. 1 to a. The spring indicated by 10 passes between the bifurcated sides of the plunger and is provided at its ends with plates with which engage the ends of levers in the manner already shown and, describ'ed.- Theconnection to the wheel axle 1 may in this case be effected by means of the inverted lJ-shaped body 33 partly encircling the said'axle as shown in the drawings and connected to the cranked body 3 1, the pins 35 of which engage the slots 86 formed in the lower ends of the plunger. p v

Where it is desired to provide for very heavy loads instead of one spring, such as width than the upper part as more clearly shown in Figs. 9and 10. i

13, 44 indicate bridge pieces the centres of each of which is engaged by the lower end of th'e'links 41, 42, the ends of said bridge pieces being engaged by the ends of the springs 10, 10? disposed one on each The lower portion ofthe case is of greater side of the case as clearly shown in F igs.

9 and 10. v j

In order to avoid longitudinal fiexure of the springs I may provide a cylindrical body'such as 10 F ig; 1,. which isrplace d ine'r'ative'ly connected tosaid axle and movable sidethe spring or springs asthe case-may be as shown. 7 e

The operation of the partsin each of'the forms'ofthe invention illustrated is substantially as described, with reference to Obviously instead'of having, one of the bodies contacting with the rollers rigid with the case this body may be a piv'otallyf mounted'body a spring acting'u'pon it'to hold it in contact with the roller and to oppose the outward movement ofsaid body under load variations. v

Although the invention is described as being for use upon vehicles itmay Obviously be employed generally as a vibration or shockabsorbing device; 4 H v With a suspension or shock absorbin device according to thisinvention' not on y is a maximum of resiliency obtained with a minimum of strain upon the parts but as there is no positive connection between the parts attached to the respective bodies, the chassis and the wheel axle for example, the one is floatingly supported by the other and shocks and jars are rapidly absorbed and their transmission from one of said bodies to the other prevented.

I claim:

1. In a suspension and shock absorbing device, a case secured to the object to be suspended; an axle; the case being interposed between said axle and object; a plunger operatively connected to said axle and movable'in said case;lever means operatively connected to said case; spring means appurtenant to said lever means and arrangedfor cooperating therewith for com pression thereby; and operatively disposed members carried by said plungers comprising links cooperating with said lever means; the ends of the links being provided with means for engaging inclined surfaces appurtenant to said case.

2. In a suspension and shock absorbing device, a case secured to the object to be suspended; an axle; the case being interposed between said axle and object; a plunger movable in said case; lever arms pivotally connected to said case; spring means appurtenant to said lever arms and arranged for cooperating therewith for compression thereby; oppositely disposed members carried by said plunger comprising links cooperating said lever arms; the ends of the links being provided with means for engaging inclined surfaces appurtenant to said case; and means cooperative between one end of said plunger and said axle for operatively connecting the plunger and axle.

8. In a suspension and shock absorbing device, a case secured to the frame of a vehi cle; an axle; the case being interposed be tween said axle and frame; a plunger opthe lever arms for compressionthe'reby'; and" oppositely disposedmembers?carried-by the j' plunger comprising links cooperating with provided with means for enaging inclined eratively connectedtt'o said' axle 'andjmovable 7 able in said case; lever arms pivotally conin said "case; lever arms pivot'ally' connected *to'sal'd case; spring means supported and axtranged in saidf'c'a'se for cooperatingwith said 'l'eveif arm's the ends of the links being surfaces appurtenant to'saidcase. 7 5

In suspensi'on"aiid: shock absorbing device, a case secured'tothe rrameior a vehicle an axle the case-'being'interposed be tweenfsaidiaxle andwframe'; aplungeriopv in said casej;"lever arms 'pivotally 'c'onnec'ted f to said case; spr ng, means"supported and "arranged" in' the case for cooperating 'with the ,leverarms for c ompression' ther'eby; i and opposi'telyfdis'pbsed "members carried by "the plunger comprising links, the lever arms passing through the open portions of said links; the ends of the links being provided with roller means engaging inclined surfaces appurtenant to said case. i

5. In a suspension and shock absorbing device, a case secured to the frame of a vehicle; an axle; the case being interposed between said axle and frame; a plunger mov-v nected to said case; spring means, supported and arranged in the case "for cooperating with said lever arms for compression thereby; oppositely disposed members carried by the plunger comprising links, the lever arms passing through the open portions of said links; the ends of the links being provided with roller means engaging inclined sur-v faces appurtenant to said case; and means secured to the axle comprising a universally pivotally supported member engaging the lower end of said plunger foroperatively connecting the plunger and axle. 6.-In a suspension and shock device, a case secured .to the frame of a vehicle; an axle; the case being interposed between said axle and frame; a plunger movable in said case; lever arms ,pivotally connected to said case; spring means supported, and arranged in the case for cooperating 115 with said lever arms for compression thereby; oppositely disposed members carried by the plunger cooperatin with said lever arms and provided with en s mo-vablyengaging absorbing inclined surfaces appurtenant to the case;

movement of said cooperating means and 125,

permitting vertical movement of the axle.

7 In a suspension and shock absorbing device, a case secured to'the frame of a vehicle; an axle; the case being interposed between said axle and frame; plunger mov- 13o able in said case having a plinth at its lower end; lever arms pivotally connected to said case; spring means supported and arranged in the case for cooperating W1th said lever arms for compression thereby;v oppositely disposed members carried by the plunger cooperating With said lever arms and provided with ends movably engaging inclined surfaces appurtenant to said case; a bracket secured to the'axle havinga hemispherical recess in its upper portion and having de pendent plates withslideway recesses therein; a hemispherical-member in said hemisphericalrecess, the upper face of said member engaging said plinth of the plunger; and axle guides slidablyengaging at their lower ends in said slideway recesses and pivotally conn'ected at their upper ends to the frame of the vehicle.

8. In a suspension and shock absorbing I, device, toggle means; a member carried by said toggle means and movable between two opposing surfaces; lever means constituting one of said opposed surfaces; and spring means appurtenant to the lever means for pressing one or both ofsaid surfaces onto means for pressing one or both of said sur- 7 faces onto said member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 1n the presence of tWo Witnesses.

ALFRED lVARIVICK GATTIE.

\Vitnesses E T. TRUsooTT, M. E. SCOBLE. 

